


It Takes Three

by MumSnake



Series: Child of Scarlet Flame and Blacken Void [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: A few other characters are mentioned - Freeform, AU, Gen, Other, Post Dream No More Ending, and Post Grimm Troupe Ritual, kind of, only the first part but it still applies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 21:19:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14962367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MumSnake/pseuds/MumSnake
Summary: Three different moments with three different bugs, all while the Child slept.





	It Takes Three

**Author's Note:**

> The first part is after Dream No More and the Grimm Troupe Ritual, the second and third part are before Dream No More ending and during the Grimm Troupe Ritual.
> 
> Chronologically, the earliest part is the third one, followed by the second, then the third.
> 
> Edit: Fixed the spacing and the some grammar. Added a few more sentences and took some words out for a smoother read.

The Blue Lake was a serene and quiet place. The water ever still and seemly endless as it slowly and steadily fell through the earth and rock and metal onto the great city down below. The air felt clean and refreshed and the lack of movement everywhere only added to its image of timeless.

Quirrel however only really ever felt loss whenever he visited the Blue Lake.

This is where he was suppose to lose himself within the steady calm waters, where he chose to give up on everything after years of living. Monomon, the Archives, the King, the Dreamers, the seals, everything that he once was and that made up who he still was.

He was suppose to leave it all here, in the wake of those lovely blue waters.

Quirrel felt a small weight land on his left arm and he blinked away from his thoughts. He glanced down to see the Child lean completely and contently on him, their body slowly moving through deep breaths as they easily fell asleep and Quirrel felt a pang in his heart. It had a tight hold over him before easing away to the parental warmth he always felt when caring for the Child.

“Mustn't lose myself now,” He muttered to himself as he adjusted the Child to a far more comfortable position with his arm moving around them protectively. “No point in wallowing in what could had been ...”

He took a shaky breath as more hurtful and relevantly more recent memories of a rather curious vessel nearly completely filled his thoughts. He shook his head purposefully to clear his mind and as the Child stirred, Quirrel placed a hand on their shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.

Quirrel began humming a quiet tune, one he knew the Child loved and would occasional sing along with him. His thoughts began to drift to the cherished moments they'd spent together. To them exploring the Crossroads and the Resting Grounds. Quirrel reading to them from different martial collected in the Archives, different stories of the past knights and celebrations and displays of power and gander from the King as the Child listened intently with large eyes always wanting to know what happens next. The few other permanent bugs who lived within and near Dirthmouth who cared for the both of them and adored the Child, playing with them and teaching them things that Quirrel himself would surely struggle with.

Quirrel felt ever so slightly better at the lighter thoughts. He looked over towards the water's surface, his sadness not gone but no longer at the forefront of his mind. Whatever memories the Blue Lake seemed to always manage to resurface would have to wait for another time.

He knew that he would have to properly go through them all eventually, sort his feelings and lingering emotions of the past, but right now Quirrel was not the apprentice or the scholar or the wanderer or the accomplice.

Right now he was a Guardian, and his charged needed him more than any of his past memories or feelings.

–

Grimm found that he just could not help himself when it came to this Grimmchild. The future of the Grimm Troupe had tucked itself securely into his arms, its own wings wrapped tightly around its small body and its tail curled around one of his arms as it took deep breaths in its sleep. Just moments ago, the Child paraded around his darken stage, mimicking some of the more flashy spins and dance movements that Grimm used during his last performance. The display had filled him with a new sense of pride and joy, that he then found himself dancing with the Child, showing them the correct steps and moves as a warmth not related to the Troupe took over his heart.

“Look at this Brumm,” Grimm practically bounced toward to the accordion player, but still mindful as to not jostle the Child too much. “Our Grimmchild sleeps so soundly, does the sight of them not fill you with such awe and peace.”

“I, umm...” Brumm had stopped his playing as Grimm walked over, not wanting the music to wake the Child, and Grimm appreciated the gesture but he also saw the way that his companion fidgeted in place.

“No need to cease your playing, Brumm, as the Grimmchild quite likes it, so long as you play quietly they should not be roused from their sleep.”

“O-of course.” Brumm flexed his fingers on the keys of the instrument and began playing again, albeit far quieter then before.

“So what do you think of them?”

“Ah, them?”

“This Grimmchild, forged from our flames and the Abyssal Void. Quite a combination don't you think?”

“... Quite.”

The two members of the Troupe quieted down as the music filled the space around them. Grimm remained at Brumm side and swayed to the sound of his accordion, even as the Troupe Master felt some unspoken tension coming from Brumm. Grimm knew Brumm as someone who never really openly spoke out however or react well when interrogated, so Grimm remained as he was with a small smile curling on his face as he glanced down at the Child and felt that parental warmth speak up even if he knew he shouldn't feel this strongly for something quite common to him.

“Will this play well?”

“Hmm?” Grimm turned his body towards Brumm and gave the other his undivided attention, partly to show that the other could elaborate and partly because they hadn't expected Brumm to say anything else.

“This... child thing, it won't be like the others right? That Vessel isn't normal. So the child won't be normal or like the ones that the Ritual usually-”

“The Vessel called us forward and so it must be performed by it.” Grimm quickly cut in, a snarled on his face and a hard glare in his eyes.

“Yes, as you say Master.” Brumm bowed his head and spoke in the monotonous tone of a servant. He stopped his playing and Grimm had to hold in his cringe from showing on his face and the displeasure felt towards himself for interrupting his companion and forcing Brumm into submitting.

“No, it was wrong of me to interrupt you like that.” Grimm lifted a hand in a placating gesture and shifted the Child more fully onto his other arm. He made sure that the Child was still sleeping soundly before continuing with a open tone. “Please Brumm, as a member of this Troupe and a dear friend of mine, speak what you have to say.”

“I suppose I'm just worried, the Grimmchild works so far with the charm, but it isn't made with Soul or Root,” Brumm lowered his voice now, his eyes looked all around them looking for stay members who might overhear this important, and possibly damaging fact. “So when the time comes to remove it from the charm...”

“You're afraid of...” Grimm's eyes widen as he understood what Brumm meant and his lingering worry. A sinking feeling started to fill him as he now thought of not only what Brumm was alluding to but also all the wrongs that could happen or take place, just because a Vessel had called upon their Ritual. There were too many outliers to really consider everything this time around, too many possibilities really with the Void acting as a stand in for Soul.

Would the Nightmare King even mix well with the Grimmchild made from Void and Flame, or...

Grimm reflexively held the Grimmchild closer to him, his own wings slowly wrapping around the two of them in a defensive manner. He saw that Brumm had not missed the protective action and silently thanked the other for not openly saying anything about it. His eyes were now burning red with worry and Grimm nearly let out a tremble of breath, but he stopped it in time to steady himself.

He held his head up high and managed to relax his body somewhat as he glance down at Brumm.

“There is no need to worry, I assure you.”

Grimm gave Brumm a small bow before the other could reply and turned around to find his quarters and a proper place for the Child to sleep. All the while, said Child was now grasping onto him with small and weak arms. They slept with completely content, feeling as safe as they would ever be so long as Grimm was here to hold them close.

“I will protect you my Child, for as long as the I am able.”

–

It was nice.

Nicer than they had at first thought it would be at least.

Ghost rested on one of the benches that they had found in the Greenpath and elected to take a moment to sit back and simply taken in the world around them, as Hornet had suggested and nearly demanded at times. They knew her sometimes harsh words and rough actions came from a place of devotion though, a similar place to their own devotion to reach their sealed sibling within the Black Egg as soon as they were able to.

A ridiculously warm body fell ungracefully onto their lap and Ghost gave out a silent yelp at the impact. They shifted the Grimmchild so that their head wasn't stuck between the two bodies and the Grimmchild let out a small bleep of appreciation before quickly falling into a steady nap. Ghost noticed that the Grimmchild would always sleep whenever they came to a stop for too long and had wondered if they were maybe pushing the poor thing too much.

It was practically a new born grub right?

Ghost wasn't all too sure and Grimm had been and continued to be of no real help whenever Ghost had managed to sneak some alone and not performing/fighting time with the Troupe Master. At least Ghost had managed to convince Grimm into watching the Grimmchild every now and then. They even won against Grimm's instance that they just take the charm that contained the Grimmchild off, it just... didn't feel right.

But there were some areas Ghost didn't want them to go to and some places that the Grimmchild just couldn't follow them to. And while none of the husks that Ghost had encountered had tried to attack them Grimmchild yet, but the Knight wanted to be careful and not take any risks.

There were also bugs who might question what the Grimmchild was, why they were following Ghost, and many more things that the Knight couldn't be bothered with.

Then there was Hornet.

Ghost had made a point to vehemently avoid Hornet early on whenever the Grimmchild was with them.

But overall, Ghost found that they liked having the Grimmchild around. The two of them had gone all through out Hallownest either looking for the remnants of the scarlet flame or simply exploring their surrounding world. Ghost liked to show the Grimmchild new and different things that the Knight had discovered within Hallownest. The hidden paths that led to the honeycomb and the sweet honey inside, the smoothing and quiet spa house within the City of Tears (while carefully making sure that Hornet was nowhere near by) where they both would relax. Ghost had even gone past the bonds of Hallownest and showed the Grimmchild the Howling Cliffs that led to the rest of the open world.

That was the first time that Ghost had noticed a spark of real, individual life within the Grimmchild as they gazed out into the deserted sands with huge eyes and an adventurous spirit. It reminded Ghost of themselves when they would get caught up in the magnificence of Hallownest and forget for just a moment about their duty and purpose.

Ghost patted the Grimmchild's head with tender hands as they sat on the bench in the Greenpath. It was one of the more peaceful areas, with a waterfall close by that cooled the air and damped the plants.

Ghost felt a fierce protectiveness rise up within them for the strange child on their lap. Even if they once had ambitions in life when they were crossing the wastelands outside of Hallownest, Ghost ultimately was made to fulfill a purpose and will see that purpose through to the end.

Ghost just hoped that the Child wouldn't have a fate similar to them.

**Author's Note:**

> For Father's Day


End file.
